Carotenoids as Anticancer Agents

Carotenoids are fat-soluble naturally occurring pigment commonly found in food, fruits, and vegetable. Daily intake of carotenoids has been regarded to boost disease preventing capacity. Several preclinical studies demonstrated the anticancer activity of carotenoids via targeting multiple molecular events. They are regarded to prevent carcinogenesis and inhibit cancer metastasis. Carotenoids have been proposed to act by suppressing cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Numbers of carotenoids including lycopene, crocin, β-carotenoid, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, astaxanthin, and fucoxanthin possess significant cancer inhibitory potency via modulating various cell signaling events. This chapter emphasizes detailed molecular insights of anti-anticancer activity of carotenoids.